Tyndall adjusts waterway proposal // View proposal

Tyndall Air Force Base Flightline is seen in this aerial photo from 2005.

News Herald file photo

By News Herald staff report

Published: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 09:50 AM.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE — The second town hall on a controversial waterways proposal from Tyndall Air Force Base is now set for Feb.12 at the Mexico Beach Civic Center.

The town hall had been scheduled for Jan. 30 but was rescheduled because of the ice storm.

“Tyndall remains committed to involving all members of the local community throughout the entire process. The plan to hold the second town hall in Mexico Beach allows Tyndall officials to reach out to community members that were unable to attend the town hall held at Gulf Coast State College,” Tyndall officials wrote in a news release.

The proposal establishes temporary security buffer zones reaching 500 feet into a threatened water area when enacted by base officials during periods of “heighten security postures.”

Local groups were concerned the proposal designated 129 miles along Tyndall’s coastline as areas of “permanent public restriction.” Officials have since modified the proposal and stressed that any restriction to the waterways would be temporary.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE — The second town hall on a controversial waterways proposal from Tyndall Air Force Base is now set for Feb.12 at the Mexico Beach Civic Center.

The town hall had been scheduled for Jan. 30 but was rescheduled because of the ice storm.

“Tyndall remains committed to involving all members of the local community throughout the entire process. The plan to hold the second town hall in Mexico Beach allows Tyndall officials to reach out to community members that were unable to attend the town hall held at Gulf Coast State College,” Tyndall officials wrote in a news release.

The proposal establishes temporary security buffer zones reaching 500 feet into a threatened water area when enacted by base officials during periods of “heighten security postures.”

Local groups were concerned the proposal designated 129 miles along Tyndall’s coastline as areas of “permanent public restriction.” Officials have since modified the proposal and stressed that any restriction to the waterways would be temporary.

Maintained from the original proposal is a request giving Tyndall jurisdiction over the 129 miles of coastline that border the base along East Bay, St. Andrew Bay, St. Andrew Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. Tyndall also would have the authority to close four bayous within the base, including Fred Bayou, Little Cedar Bayou, Military Point and Baker Bayou, but only during times of heightened security.

Tyndall officials already have sought feedback from elected officials and concerned citizens groups and made improvements to the plan based on their feedback, officials said in a news release.

This is the second informational town hall on the proposal before submitting the proposal to the Army Corps of Engineers for an official public comment period. More than 110 people attended the Dec. 19 town hall at Gulf Coast State College.

“We have worked diligently to hear the concerns of our neighbors in Bay County,” said Col. Christopher Holmes, 325th Mission Support Group commander. “The feedback provided at the town hall brought some added perspective that we incorporated into the proposal.”

The format for the event will be the same as the previous town hall with a briefing from Maj. Anthony McCarty, 325th Security Forces commander, a period to submit questions via index cards and a follow-up question and answer session.